Unable to Sysprep***Any help?

I'm in the process of creating new images. I was given a base image to use, and then I install a bunch of applications that my unit uses, and get them all configured, then I take the image to use on other machines. This has worked fine so far, with a Dell D630, then an HP8510p..now I'm working on a Dell E6400, but when I run sysprep, it runs for a few seconds then comes back saying there was a fatal error during the process. Nothing in event viewer, no error code to look up or anything. I tried rebooting, rejoining/removing from domain, rebooting again, but nothing seems to get it working... I am using an XML file, but it's the same file we have been using for a while. I was able to make an image for this machine earlier with this XML, so I don't think that's it. I'm at a stand still, with 2 other techs waiting for the image....and I have no clue WTF is going on.

Any ideas?...

Also, we are using Vista

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Comments

RobertKaucher

This may be a stupid question, but have you seen this article: An error message occurs when you run "Sysprep /generalize" in Windows Vista: "A fatal error occurred while trying to Sysprep the machine"

stephens316

I hope I am not knocked for this but there is another forum I use to be very active in 2004-2007 I still check it out once in awhile it's call MSFN http://www.msfn.org they do have vast amount of knowledge there in this area.

I am not saying anything bad about this place, I love it here here, just another resource at your service.

Ricka182

Thanks for the link...I had not read that before. I didn't create the XML file, it was given to me from the person I replaced. The SkipReArm apparently has been part of the XML file from the start, so I don't know why that would cause an issue here. I just removed the whole line with the SkipReArm part, and am rebooting now to see if it works....

Ricka182

No good.....I tried a few times, but keep getting the error. I'll just have to start from scratch on this model, and rebuild the image from the base disc....and then reload SP2, and every other damn app...GRRRR!!!!!!!

Thanks to those who replied with suggestions...

JBrown

Ricka182;363238

You can narrow down the problem with error log in the c:\windows\Panther\ directory, filename is setuperr.log or something similar.

Similar log file could be found in the c:\windows\system32\sysprep\Panther\ setuperr.xml

Hyper-Me

Ive gotten fatal errors for 2 reasons when sysprepping Vista.

1. It also says something about cant parse the file, and its referring to the answer file. You need to specify the full path to the file instead of just the name.

2. You have exceeded the amount of allowed rearms. You can sysprep an installation 3 times before you have exceeded the rearm limit and from then on sysprep will error out (unless you do some registry tweaks).

If you were given a previously created image and told to load that and re-sysprep, im betting you are past the rearm limit.

Ricka182

I was indeed past the Rearm limit. To get around this limit, I used the image file I was given on disc from the first model, and just went through the setup process again, with different drivers for this model...it has worked so far, so good. I just finished creating the new image file, and the machine is currently in it's initial boot phase post-image loading.. If that makes any sense... thanks again..

Hyper-Me

With Vista you can actually mount the WIM offline using ImageX.exe and inject any drivers you need for a different model computer using PEImg.exe.

Makes swapping hardware models a sinch.

Ricka182

Hyper-Me wrote: »

With Vista you can actually mount the WIM offline using ImageX.exe and inject any drivers you need for a different model computer using PEImg.exe.

Makes swapping hardware models a sinch.

I was thinking of using ImageX, but ran into a few problems...was told to keep using BartPE and Ghost...so far so good, only have 2 more machine models to get to..